Even for high schoolers, however, I think that any truly effective teaching of the novel would require some time spent upon the historical scaffolding needed to understand the novel at the highest level. Certainly one would expect older students to have a greater understanding and appreciation for the use of descriptive language, as well as the question of identity faced by the protagonist. I think there is a great deal more potential to be found teaching this novel at the high school level. Only a small number would have both the patience and ability to read it at all, and I don’t think any of them have the requisite historical background knowledge to truly comprehend it. In fact, I would be hesitant to recommend it to teachers in my middle school because I believe it is too advanced for the vast majority of the children at our school. Unfortunately, I also think that a true understanding of the plot and character development requires a knowledge of historical context that will be beyond most of the students that I work with. It also does a very good job of presenting the perspective of a Korean child living during the Japanese occupation of the peninsula. The book is well written and is particularly notable for its descriptive language. I think it has some potential in the classroom, but I have a few concerns as well. I was asked to review this novel specifically for its potential usefulness in a classroom setting.
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